Question

Alexis is a 14-year-old gymnast. Her days are extremely busy. She wakes up at 7:00 AM and needs to be at school by 7:30 AM. Breakfast is usually eaten in the car on the way to school; lunch is purchased in the school cafeteria. The school day lasts until 3:00 PM, after which she heads to the gym. Practice runs from 3:30 PM until 7:00 PM. After her parents pick her up from the gym, they typically go to a casual dining or fast-food restaurant for dinner. Once Alexis arrives at home, she has 1–2 hours to complete her homework and prepare for the next day. She is frustrated by always eating on the run. Alexis is also concerned that her convenience food diet is not fueling her body properly for gymnastics.
Questions: Provide two options for quick, healthy meals/snacks for each of the following: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. Nutrition recommendations should be appropriate for the sport of gymnastics. Suggestions can be given to both Alexis and her parents.

Answer 1

Breakfast: dairy products, fruits and vegetables.

Lunch: whole wheat bread

Snack: Banana, yogurt with granola and fruit, low-fat cheese and crackers or a peanut butter and honey sandwich

Dinner

Carbohydrates for Energy

Female teen gymnasts require between 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day, 50 to 60 percent of which should come from carbohydrates. For main meals, you should consume complex carbohydrate foods such as whole wheat bread high-fiber breakfast cereals, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Additionally, snacking on nutritious, energy-rich foods such as a banana, yogurt with granola and fruit, low-fat cheese and crackers or a peanut butter and honey sandwich before and after practice will enhance your performance and replenish muscle stores.

Protein for Muscles

As you are gymnasts, you need protein for building new muscles and tissues, to repair and strengthen muscles after strenuous practice, and for hormone and enzyme production. Calculate the amount of protein in grams required for you by multiplying your weight in pounds by 0.85 and dividing by 2.2. Include lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, lentils or tofu in every meal to meet protein requirements. Although 20 to 25 percent of total calorie intake should come from protein, avoid fried, breaded burgers and fatty cuts of meats, which increase calorie intake.

Healthy Fats

In spite of their negative reputation, some fats are essential for building body cells and nerves, insulating and protecting organs and aiding the absorption of vitamins. You need about 20 to 25 percent of your total calorie intake from fat, most of which should be from healthy unsaturated fats such as those in fatty fish, olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds. Saturated fats found in whole milk, butter and fatty meats should not contribute more than 10 percent of the daily calorie intake, and trans fats from fried food and processed snacks should be avoided as they may increase blood cholesterol levels.

Bone Health

you need 1,300 milligrams of calcium and 15 micrograms of vitamin D during the teen years. These nutrients help form strong bones that not only enhance gymnastic performance and resist fractures, but also prevent osteoporosis later in life. Low-fat milk and dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium and should be part of your daily diet. Dairy foods also contain other essential nutrients such as riboflavin, a water-soluble B vitamin as well as phosphorus, vitamin A and vitamin D.

Iron Intake

Your diet should supply 15 milligrams of iron, a mineral essential for transport of oxygen throughout the body. Poor iron status resulting from losses during menstruation and demanding gymnastic routines may negatively affect your performance. A diet rich in lean meat, eggs, leafy vegetables and fortified whole grains will provide adequate amounts of iron to meet your needs. Additionally, consuming a variety of foods from the different food groups will ensure of getting all minerals and vitamins required for optimal growth and performance.

Staying Hydrated

An important factor that decreases coordination, reaction time, concentration and stamina during a gymnastic performance is not drinking sufficient amounts of water. You should drink 10 to 12 cups of water every day. you should especially drink a cup or two before and during gymnastic practice to remain hydrated. Pure water, pure fruit juices and sports drinks are acceptable ways of hydrating, but avoid coffee, tea, soda and sugary fruit punches.